The pineberry is a white strawberry with red seeds. Pineberries are actually the oldest strawberry variety. Originally strawberries were white in South America and red in North America (known as scarlets). Spontaneous crossings between the Chilean white strawberry and the North American scarlets produced Fragaria ananassa, which is the base material for all the common strawberry varieties we have today.
Pineberry saved from extinction
Pineberries were saved from extinction by breeders working exclusively with VitalBerry BV when the original source material was discovered in Southern Europe. The breeders used this source material to cross it with an existing variety to improve the original pineberry.
Pineberry breeding program
VitalBerry BV works with the breeders who are on the basis of the pineberries that are currently sold in the supermarkets. The breeding program for the pineberry continued from 2006 and allowed to cultivate a pineberry variety for which the plant breeders’ rights have been requested in 2010. Ever since 2011 VitalBerry BV supplies pineberries from this owned breed.
Pineberry vs. Strawberry
Pineberries are much smaller than the strawberries we are used to see today. What makes the pineberry appearance so distinct is their white flesh which is studded with red seeds. The aroma and flavour of pineberries never disappoints – the striking berries have a pineapple flavour.
Pineberry introduction on April fools
In 2010 the pineberry was introduced on April 1st in the UK. Many media thought it was an April fools’ joke and believed the pineberry did not exist. However when it turned out the introduction of the pineberry was for real, this special strawberry got a lot of media attention.
And this continues, with regular mentions in blogs, tweets, Facebook, Pinterest, newspapers etcetera as it is such an extraordinary strawberry that keeps surprising people.
Pineberry availability
VitalBerry BV is proud to be the original sales channel for the pineberry variety. As breeding this strawberry is different from the popular red strawberries, the volume of the pineberry crop is much smaller. Due to cultivation of the pineberry in greenhouses, VitalBerry BV can offer this special strawberry from March until December, however always in small quantities.
Specialty strawberries
The pineberry is not the only specialty strawberry available from VitalBerry BV. In addition to the pineberry, VitalBerry BV can offer her customers also the strasberry (dark red with deeply positioned seeds). Both specialties are a strawberry variety which is a result of natural crossings and definitively NOT a mixture of different fruit species or genetically adapted fruit as some people might think.
